Staff Directory
Middel, Cory
Cory Middel
- Title:
- Associate AD - Sports Medicine
- Email:
- Phone:
- 719-333-0217
Cory Middel is the associate athletic director for sports medicine and NCAA athletics healthcare administrator for Air Force Athletics. He serves as division chief of the sports medicine department and leads the athletic training, strength and conditioning, and the Performance Science Center branches. Their mission is to provide world-class sports medicine care, strength and conditioning, physiological testing and training, sports nutrition, human performance optimization, and sports psychology services supporting approximately 1000 Division I intercollegiate athletes, athletic department programs, and the USAFA goal of developing leaders of character physical mission.
Middel oversees sports medicine and human performance support for 29 athletic programs, leads 62 staff, manages over $4 million in equipment and supply and research assets each year, and ensures emergency services and support to for over 4,000 cadet athletes who participate in athletic department sponsored programs. Middel has represented the Academy as a member of the Mountain West Conference Health & Safety Advisory Committee since 2020.
Prior to his current role, Middel served for nearly 25 years as an active-duty Air Force officer. While on active duty, his final assignment was as the athletic department’s associate athletic director for sports medicine and NCAA healthcare administrator from 2020 through 2022. During this period, he led the athletic department’s health and safety programs and protocols through the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, he led the division through transition and implementation of the DoD’s new electronic medical record system, and the expansion of athletic training, sports nutrition, and sports psychology manpower and services.
From 2018 to 2020, Middel directed the Human Performance Laboratory and served as deputy director for sports medicine. As additional responsibilities, Middel served as the chair of force development for the Air Force physical therapy career field and was responsible for guiding and securing deployment readiness training, professional development, advanced education, and mentorship for over 175 Air Force physical therapy officers. Additionally, he supported the United States Air Force Tactical Sports and Orthopedic Manual Physical Therapy Fellowship as adjunct faculty member and liaison with Air Force Athletics, training officers to become embedded physical therapists within special warfare and other operational units.
Middel entered active duty in 1998 with a commission and bachelor of science degree in biology from the Air Force Academy. Throughout his career, Middel has served as a medical operations squadron commander, physical and occupational therapy flight commander, director of operations, program director, and in multiple element and clinic leadership positions. Middel's deployments in support of contingency operations include expeditionary medical squadron and group commander in support of Operation INHERENT RESOLVE; physical and occupational therapy element leader in support of Operation NEW DAWN; and, medical support team leader, health support outreach mission to Indonesia.
Middel is a graduate of Squadron Officer School, Air Command and Staff College, the U.S. Army-Baylor Graduate Program in Physical Therapy, and the Kaiser Permanente-Vallejo Orthopedic Manual Physical Therapy and Primary Care Fellowship. He is board certified in orthopedic physical therapy and is a Fellow of the American Academy of Orthopedic Manual Physical Therapy. Middel is a member of the American Physical Therapy Association, American Academy of Orthopedic Physical Therapy, American Academy of Sports Physical Therapy, American Academy of Orthopedic Manual Physical Therapy, and the American College of Sports Medicine.
Middel is married to Laura (Turk) of Boerne, Texas, and has three children, Hannah, Aaron, and James. He loves outdoor activities, sports of all kinds, is an avid golfer, and enjoys cooking and sharing meals with family and friends.
Middel oversees sports medicine and human performance support for 29 athletic programs, leads 62 staff, manages over $4 million in equipment and supply and research assets each year, and ensures emergency services and support to for over 4,000 cadet athletes who participate in athletic department sponsored programs. Middel has represented the Academy as a member of the Mountain West Conference Health & Safety Advisory Committee since 2020.
Prior to his current role, Middel served for nearly 25 years as an active-duty Air Force officer. While on active duty, his final assignment was as the athletic department’s associate athletic director for sports medicine and NCAA healthcare administrator from 2020 through 2022. During this period, he led the athletic department’s health and safety programs and protocols through the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, he led the division through transition and implementation of the DoD’s new electronic medical record system, and the expansion of athletic training, sports nutrition, and sports psychology manpower and services.
From 2018 to 2020, Middel directed the Human Performance Laboratory and served as deputy director for sports medicine. As additional responsibilities, Middel served as the chair of force development for the Air Force physical therapy career field and was responsible for guiding and securing deployment readiness training, professional development, advanced education, and mentorship for over 175 Air Force physical therapy officers. Additionally, he supported the United States Air Force Tactical Sports and Orthopedic Manual Physical Therapy Fellowship as adjunct faculty member and liaison with Air Force Athletics, training officers to become embedded physical therapists within special warfare and other operational units.
Middel entered active duty in 1998 with a commission and bachelor of science degree in biology from the Air Force Academy. Throughout his career, Middel has served as a medical operations squadron commander, physical and occupational therapy flight commander, director of operations, program director, and in multiple element and clinic leadership positions. Middel's deployments in support of contingency operations include expeditionary medical squadron and group commander in support of Operation INHERENT RESOLVE; physical and occupational therapy element leader in support of Operation NEW DAWN; and, medical support team leader, health support outreach mission to Indonesia.
Middel is a graduate of Squadron Officer School, Air Command and Staff College, the U.S. Army-Baylor Graduate Program in Physical Therapy, and the Kaiser Permanente-Vallejo Orthopedic Manual Physical Therapy and Primary Care Fellowship. He is board certified in orthopedic physical therapy and is a Fellow of the American Academy of Orthopedic Manual Physical Therapy. Middel is a member of the American Physical Therapy Association, American Academy of Orthopedic Physical Therapy, American Academy of Sports Physical Therapy, American Academy of Orthopedic Manual Physical Therapy, and the American College of Sports Medicine.
Middel is married to Laura (Turk) of Boerne, Texas, and has three children, Hannah, Aaron, and James. He loves outdoor activities, sports of all kinds, is an avid golfer, and enjoys cooking and sharing meals with family and friends.
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